Combination cigarette case and lighter



Aug..8, 1933. F. A: WHITTAKER 1,921,854

COMBINATION CIGARETTE CASE AND LIGHTER Filed Aug. 31, 1932 fiweizi'ar III III

Patented Aug. 8, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION CIGARETTE CASE AND LIGHTER Application August 31, 1932. Serial No. 631,153

\ 4 Claims. (01. 87-71) This invention relates to .a combined pyrophoric lighter and cigarette case and pertains.

principally to the actuating devices for the lighter and their relation to the case.

When the case is held in the hand inthe most natural and convenient position for use, the thumb most naturally rests at one of the upper comers of the case. An ordinary actuating lever mounted on the case in that position for operation by the thumb would not only be mechanically awkward, but would detract from the design of the case and would also present undesirable projections which would interfere with-the use of the article as a pocket case.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide 'a finger piece or thumb piece in the very desirable location mentioned, for actuating the lighter, which is 'free from the objections noted. To this end I make the case with a cut-off, corner, and 1311 the corner space with a collapsingfr telescoping or disappearing corner piece, whi h in normal position constitues in effect aicontinuation of the case and virtually forms the corner part of the case itself, but which may be moved or collapsed into the case and when so moved operates the lighter.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a combination cigarette case and pyrophoric lighter;

Fig. 2 is a similar view on a reduced scale showing the case and lighter held in the hand of a user and being operated;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation on an enlarged scale of the operating mechanism of the lighter removed from the case; a

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5,is a side view of the article from the rightof Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a top plan view.

The case consists of a continuous back wall 10, extending across the top as shown at 11, and down the front side at 12. The lighter mechanism is housed within the space between the front wall 12 and the back wall 10 at the top of the case. Below the lighter the case provides a compartment for cigarettes closed by the lid 13, hinged to the case at 14, and held latched by the usual spring catch 15. The upper right-hand corner of the case as viewed in' Figs. 1 and 2 is cut off diagonally as shown at 16, providing a corner aperture 1'? in the case. The lighter proper comprises a fuel receptacle 18, which may be filled through a screw cap 19,

viewed a burner 20 containing the usual wick extending into the fuel receptacle, a pyrophoric member 21 positioned beside the burner, a serrated friction wheel 22 journaled between a pair of upstanding ears 23, 23, on top ofthe fuel receptacle g0 18 and making contact with the pyrophoric member 21, and a snufler 24 in the form of a cup which fits over the burner 20. The snuffer and friction wheel are both actuated by a lever 25 pivoted at 26 between the two ears 23, 23. The 5 cup 24 is carried by the forward end of the lever 25. A curved rack 27 pivoted to the lever at 28 extends downward in front of and underneath a ratchet wheel 29, which is positioned beside the friction wheel 22 and fastened to the same shaft. The rack 27 is yieldingly pressed against the ratchet'wheel 29 by a light wire spring 30 so that the teeth of the rack are normally held in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 29. when thelever 25 is swung upwardly'on it's axis 26 the snuifer 24 is lifted from the wick and simultaneously the toothed rack 27, moving upwardly in engagement with the ratchet 29, rotates the friction wheel 22 and causes the sparks to be emitted from the pyrophoric niember 21 for lightingv the wick.

The rear end of lever 25 is provided with a pin or stud 31 which works in a slot 32 formed in the upper end of a lever 33 whose lower end is pivoted to the fuel receptacle 18 at 34.

Lever 33 is shaped to conform to the interior shape of the comer piece 35, to which it is rigidly attached. The comer piece 35 is made in the form of a hollow shell of substantially triangular shape in elevation, and'of a size and. form complementary to the case so as to flll out or replace the cut-off corner of the case and present an appearance and. contour of substantial continuity with the case. The comer piece 35 normally closes the corner aperture 17 of the case, and closely fits in the aperture, but with sufllcient clearance so that the corner piece may be manually freely swung or collapsed into the case through thewaperture to the position illustrated in Fig. 2 for actuating the friction wheel and snufler.-

\ I claim: Y v

1. A cigarette lighter comprising a casing having rigid wall members providing a compartment in the upper portio'n 'of said. casing, said casing having a cut-off corner providing a corner aperture in the upper end of the compartment: lighter mechanism including pyrophoric and friction members, a snufl'er and actuating means for operating the friction member and snufler no housed within said compartment, a complementarycornerpiece normallyclosingsaid aperture,

and pivotally mounted at its lower'end to be swung manually into said compartment through said aperture, and connections between said corner piece and said actuating means ior operat- I ing the lighter mechanism.

. 2; Acigarette lighter comprisingacasinghavin: rigid wall members providing a compartment inthe upper portion of sa'id'casing, said casing having a cut-oi! corner providing a corner aper-- ture in the upper end of the compartment, lighter mechanism including pyrophoric and friction members, a snufler and'actuating means for operating the friction member and snufler having a cut-oi! corner providing a corner aperture in the upper end of the compartment, lighter mechanism including pyrophoric and friction members, a snufler'and actuating means for 'operating the friction memberand snufler 1,o21,ss4

within said compartment, a complementary cor ner piece normally closing said aperture in the form 0! a hollow shell constituting in elect a corneroisaidcasing,aleverrigidlysecuredwithinsaidhollowshelLthelowerendoisaidlever being pivoted withinsaidcompartmentnearthe bottom of said corner aperture and constituting thefulcrumonwhichtheshellmsybemanually swungintothesecond compartment, and connectionsbetweentheupperendoisaidleverandsaid actuatingmeansi'or operating thelighter mecha '4.Aci'garette1,ightercomprisingacasinghavingrigidwalimembersprovidingacompartment intbeupperportionoisaidcasing,saidcasing having a diagonally cut-oi! corner providing a cornerapertm'ein theupperendoithecompartment, lighter mechanism including pyrophoricandiriction members,asnuflerandactuating lever for operating the friction member and snuiier housed within said compartment, a complementary comer piece normally closing saidapertureintheiormoiahollowsheliot -substantiallytriangulariorm,saidshelibeing pivotallymountedatitslowerendtobeswung manually intosaidtthroughsaid aperture,andanarmsecur edtosaidshelland proiectinginwardlythereimsaidarmhaving apinandslotconnectionwithsaidactuating leverior when swunginwardli. I

. PREDERICKLWHMTAKEIL' 

